Karmic Retribution?

Years ago, I was fired from a job for being “mentally ill.” Of course, this was not the reason they gave but no matter, we all knew that was the truth. I had chosen to be open about my illness–I had no recourse. I had been hospitalized twice; I had even been visited during one of them by my Manager and Supervisor (much to my horror!) I believed they were trying to be supportive. Maybe at the time they were. I do not know.

I had no means for litigation–I was broke! I was close to living on the street as I had to barter my last month’s rent by painting and doing some odd job work in another unit in the building lest my landlord try to evict me. I chose another “free” route via the government to seek what was owed to me.

I was “vindicated,” I suppose. I did not receive the full settlement I was entitled to by law but I did receive a portion of it. That was all they were willing to give and I could have rejected it but I couldn’t face going through the entire process again. It was too lenghty and too upsetting.

The company could have appealed everything entirely but they chose not to. I guess this means that in doing so, they were admitting that they were in fact liable and it was a case of “wrongful dismissal.” I did not receive any apologies, however. The victory seemed hollow.

And it was truly brutal facing my Ex-Manager (who was now also my Ex-Friend,) my Ex-Supervisor, the head of Human Resources and the completely ridiculous lawyer they had hired all by myself.

Anyway, I had not spoken to this friend of mine in a long time. He still works there. Many changes have taken place since I left. I have found out that Ex-Manager/Friend and Ex-Supervisor had “been removed” perhaps due to performance issues and one has failed miserably (Ex-Supervisor) in a new position. I have also found out that the company has lost the contract where we all worked and will probably never get it back–it was worth a lot of money. I have also found out that over the years, several other people have deluged them with other wrongful dismissal claims.

I wonder how they made out?

Call me a bitch but I am still bitter to the core about this. I was treated horribly and the things I was asked to do, the way I was made to “behave” after I came back to work at this job–it was sickening. I was trying at the time to figure a way to get out but apparently that decision was made for my by a bunch of ignorant, discriminatory, unfeeling assholes.

Like this:

The saying what comes around goes around isn’t trite, it’s true! I know the feeling P.A.. When I was recovering from cancer treatments, I took a new job. I needed and had to see my oncologist on a certain day. Unexpectedly, I was asked to stay and work. I would have, but could not on this day. I ended up having to divulge the reason why I couldn’t fill in. They let me have the time, but when no one was around, that office manager came up next to me and said, and I’ll quote it, as I’ll never forget it. “Great you’re F-in (although it was said, I abbreviate)dying, you should have told us sooner! From there, the office manager began lying about my work performance..I left! I knew what was going to happen if I didn’t. Later, I heard they canned that office manager for taking money instead of making the deposit. It works out.

OMG, C.A.! I can’t believe someone actually had the gall to say that to you! Oh, that is terrible. No, that word simply isn’t suitable enough to describe it!

I don’t know exactly what was said about me “behind closed doors” because there is so much stigma attached to mental disorders. I was treated like a leper. I don’t even want to know what they said about me.

Nothing was ever stated directly to me but things were definitely implied by the things that I was made to do (eg. sign a contract that no other people were made to sign after I came back to work that was filled with incredibly preposterous language.)

I was also treated so differently by nearly everyone on staff except for a very precious few individuals. I can count them on one hand and we had a very large staff.

I couldn’t leave–at least not at the moment–as I was so dependant upon the job financially.

I don’t believe that my work suffered. I still performed well and they couldn’t (and didn’t) pin that on me when they did fire me. So no. No issues there.

A lot of people have said to me I should just “let it go.” It’s not like I wake up every day thinking about it. I re-read my post and thought, Whew! Boy, maybe I do sound a little bitter! but until something like that happens to you, maybe you just can’t “let it go” so easily. Sometimes really painful things tend to stay with you.

Thankfully (speaking of things working out) I am in a much more tolerant workplace now. I am free to be as “crazy” as I want! Everybody knows I am completely disordered and have been hospitalized. I even went inpatient while working here. Everyone is supportive and dare I say, admires me for being open about being “mentally ill.”